Many work vehicles (e.g., agricultural vehicles such as tractors; construction vehicles such as skid-steers) in use today include at least one power takeoff (PTO) shaft. A PTO shaft allows the farmer to operate implements and other farm machinery using power provided by the tractor engine. Common PTO-driven implements include balers, mowers, grinder mixers, augers, drills, etc. Some of these implements are driven while the tractor travels across a field (e.g., balers and mowers) while others are driven while the tractor is stationary (e.g., augers, drills, blowers, feeders, grinders and manure pumps). Still others may be driven while the tractor is either stationary or traveling (e.g., grinder mixers).
Ease of operator use and flexibility of controls are important considerations when designing an operator control system for PTOs. In some prior systems, a control switch has been provided in the operator station (e.g., cab or platform) of the work vehicle to allow the operator to engage and disengage the PTO shaft to the engine of the work vehicle. These operator station-mounted switches are useful for applications where the tractor is in motion since the operator is typically in the operator station while farming. However, when an auger or drill is driven by the PTO shaft, the operator must continuously walk back to the operator station to turn the PTO shaft on and off using the operator station-mounted switch.
Accordingly, remote switches have been mounted at various locations around the work vehicle (e.g., on the front or rear fender of the vehicle) to allow the operator to control the PTO from outside the operator station of the work vehicle. Various control systems have been introduced to determine when the remote switch is active and when the operator station-mounted switch is active. For example, in one prior system, a selector switch is provided in the operator station to select between a standard mode (operator station-mounted switch active) and a remote mode (fender-mounted switch active). One drawback of this control system occurs when the operator wishes to switch from remote mode back to standard mode. The operator must actively switch the system from the remote mode to the standard mode when the operator enters the vehicle and begins farming the field with a PTO-driven implement. If the operator forgets to actuate this selector switch, the remote switch is still active. Thus, a stray twig, stalk or other obstruction may actuate the remote switch, turning the remote PTO on or off unbeknownst to the operator, causing operator confusion. The operator may also travel some distance before realizing this error, requiring the operator to re-farm the missed portion of the field, wasting valuable time and resources.
Farm equipment manufacturers are beginning to realize the advantages of automating certain controls on the work vehicle. For example, when the work vehicle reaches the end of a row in the field (i.e., the headland), the operator must perform several tasks at once, including such things as turning the PTO shaft off, raising the hitch which is coupled to the implement, disabling mechanical front-wheel drive (MFD), disabling differential lock (DL), etc. Then, as the tractor re-enters the field after turning around on the headland, the operator must perform the opposite of these same tasks. Thus, attempts have been made in the prior art to automate one or more of these tasks performed when the work vehicle reaches the headland. Additional functionality and flexibility is demanded by operators to allow them to customize this automation procedure for various farming processes.
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved control system for a PTO having remote switches which improves the ease of use of the remote switches without significantly affecting operability or functionality. Also what is needed is a system to add new functionality and flexibility to the automation of PTO control when the work vehicle reaches and turns around on the headland.